Method and means for packaging vertical slat draw drapes



Feb. 4, 1958 o. v. HORNE ET AL 2,822,083

METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING VERTICAL SLAT DRAW DRAPES Filed March 1,1956 INVENTORS O/ /A 1 HORNE BY Lou/5 J. l/EL/A AGENT 2,822,083 METHODronmcnronse VERTICAL SLAT DRAW DRAPES O'ma V. Home, Riverside,an'dLoui's 'J. Velia, Sunnymead,

Calif assigriors to Hunter Douglas Aluminum Corporation, Riverside,Califl, a corporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1956, Serial No.568,724 2 Claims- (Cl. 206-46) The present invention relates to thepackaging of assembled vertical slat draw drapes for shipment, and morepatricularly to the packaging or drapes of the type shown ahd describedin the co-pending application of Paul Cureton, Serial No. 537,674,wherein vertical slats of crowned Venetian blind strip are hung fromcarriers that are slidably supported on a track attachedto the undersideof a mounting board. The slats draw to the side of the blind,'and'can'b'e titlted to anyangle.

One of the major problems in the marketing of such vertical slat drawdrapes is the shipment of assembled drapes from the manufacturer to thedealer who does the installing. Heretofore, drapes that have beenshipped in the assembled condition have sufier'e'd considerable damageby either having theslalts beco'r'ne disconnected from the carriers, or.by having the slats creased or bowed from being bent too sharply. As aresult, manufacturers of such draw drapes have become discouraged fromshipping assembled drapes, and have fallen back on the practice ofshipping disassembled drapes which can easily be packed for safeshipment. However, this makes it necessary for the dealer to assemblethe draw drape before installing it, which is a time consuming operationthat adds considerably to the dealers cost.

A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide amethod and means for packaging vertical slat draw drapes so that theycan be shipped in the assembled condition without being damaged orbecoming disassembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivecore, or former, to be attached to the mounting board of a vertical slatdraw drape, around which the slats can be wrapped in gentle curves, sothat they will not be creased or otherwise damaged by being bent aroundtoo small a radius.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a typical draw drape of the type for which thepresent invention was designed;

Figure 2 shows the drape packed for shipment, using the method and meansof the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken at 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the cores, or formers, whichare used adjacent each end of the mounting board to support the slats insmooth curves where the slats are bent down parallel to the mountingboard, and where they are carried around one end of the mounting boardto the opposite side thereof; and

Figure 5 is a view of the flat cardboard blank from which the core ofFigure 4 is made.

In Figure l of the drawings, the draw drape illustrated is of the centerpull type, and comprises a wood mounting board having an inverted track11 attached to the nited States Patent 0 "ice 2,822,083 Patented Feb. 4,1958 underside thereof. A plurality of carriers 12 are slidablysupportedon track '11, and hanging from such carriers are slats 13 ofcrowned sheet metal Venetian blind strip. The slats and carriers aredisposed in two groups, A and B, which are adapted to be drawn apart toopposite ends of the mounting board. In each of the groups A and B, theslats are connected together and are tilted in unison by laddertapes 14.At the right hand end of the mounting board is a tilter unit 15 which isoperated by a control cord 16. The tilter 15 is connected directly tothe ladder tape 14 of the adjacent slat group B to operate the same, andis connected to the ladder tape of the other slat group A through theagency of an idler pulley assembly 20. The idler pulley assembly isactuated from the tilter 15 by an endless cord 21 (see Figure 3). Thecenter carriers of the two groups A and B are known as master carrierassemblies 22 and 23, and these master carriers are connected toopposite courses of the endless cord 21. The master carriers haveinterlocking means which engage one another at the center of the blindto yieldingly lock the two groups of blind together.

When the draw drape of Figure l is to be shipped in the assembledcondition, it is wrapped as shown in Figure 2 using two cores, orformers, 25 and two straps 26. Each of the cores 25 is as shown inFigure 4. In the preferred form of the invention, the core is made upfrom a cardboard blank 27 of the configuration shown in Figure 5. Theblank 27 comprises a central rectangular section 30 which constitutesthe top panel of a box 31. Projecting from opposite ends of the centralsection 30 are two elongated tongues 32, 33. Tongue 32 terminates in atab 34, while tongue 33 terminates in a stapling flange 35. A pair ofrectangular side sections 36 and 37 project from opposite sides of thecentral section 30, and each of these side sections terminates in astapling flange 38. A pair of rectangular end sections 40 and 41 projectlaterally from opposite sides of each of the side sections 36, 37. Whenthe blank is folded up along the score lines shown in broken lines inFigure 5, end section 40 of side 36 overlaps and is stapled to endsection 40 of side 37. Likewise, end section 41 of side 36 overlaps andis stapled to end section 41 of side 37. Both of the end sections 40have slots 42 provided therein which register with one another when theend sections are stapled together to provide a through slot, into whichthe tap 34 is inserted, as shown in Figure 4. The end sections 41 havenotches 43 and 44 provided in their outer edges, which register with oneanother when the end sections are stapled together to form the notch 43in the box, as shown in Figure 3.

To assemble the cores 25, the end sections 40 and 41 are bent up alongscore lines 4545 and 46.46, respectively. Next, the sides 36 and 37 arefolded up along the score lines 47 and 48, respectively, and theoverlapping end sections 40 are stapled together, as are the overlappingend sections 41.

The fully assembled drape is drawn open so as to accumulate all but fourof the slats at each outer end. One of the assembled cores 25 is placedon the top surface of the mounting board (i. e., the bottom side of theinverted mounting board shown in Figure 2) and the flange 35 is madeflush with the end of the board. Flange 35 is then stapled to the board.Tongue 32 is bent up in a smooth curve, and tab 34 is inserted into slot42 in the end of the bov. The box 31 is lifted and carried around thestapled flange 35 to the underside of the mounting board 10, where it isinserted down over the tilter unit 15. The box 31 is moved toward thetilter end of the drape, until it rests against the tilter housing.Flanges 38 are then stapled to sides of the mounting board 10.

The second core assembly 25, with tab 34 inserted into the board so thatthe master carrier 22 is just to the left of the core box. Notch 43 islined up with the traverse rod or track 11, and flanges 38 are stapledto the side edges of the mounting board. Starting with the accumulatedslats of group B at the tilter end of the drape, the slats are wrappedas a unit in a clockwise direction around the right hand core assembly25, and under the mounting board, with the concave side of the slatsfacing outwardly. The pull cord 16 of the tilter unit is wrapped aroundthe slats and the mounting board to hold the slats in place whilewrapping the other end of the drape.

As the other end of the blind a strip 26 is stapled to one edge of themounting board just to the right of the left hand core 25. Next, theaccumulated slats of group A at the left hand end of the drape are laidaround the curved tongue 32 of the core and flat across the two coreassemblies, concave side up. At the right hand end of the drape, theslats are wrapped around the curved tongue 33, to the opposite side ofthe mounting board and back along the length of the board on top of thefirst group of slats. A second strip 26 is wrapped around the slatsadjacent the right hand end of the board and is stapled to the board totie down the ends of the slats. The first strip 26 at the left hand endof the drape is also wrapped around the slats and its free end stapledto the board. The drape is now assembled in the condition shown inFigure 2, and is ready to be placed in a box or carton for shipment.

While we have shown and described in considerable detail what we believeto be the preferred form of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the severalparts without departing from the broad scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A vertical slat draw drape package comprising a mounting board, atrack attached to the underside thereof, a plurality of carriersslidably mounted on said track, crowned sheet metal slats hanging fromsaid carriers, said slats being accumulated at the end of said mountingboard, means adjacent said carriers supporting said accumulated slatsaround a curve of diameter greater than the minimum diameter to whichsaid slats can be bent without damage, said means bringing said slatssubstantially parallel to said mounting board and spaced therefrom,back-up means supporting said slats in a 180 degree curve around an endof said mounting board, whereby the slats are brought back along the topside of the mounting board, and means securing the free ends of saidslats to said mounting board.

2. A vertical slat draw drape shipping package comprising a mountingboard having a track attached to the underside thereof, a plurality ofcarriers slidably mounted on said track, crowned sheet metal slatshanging from said carriers, said slats being accumulated at the end ofsaid mounting board, a supporting device attached to said mounting boardadjacent said carriers and having a first curved portion carrying saidslats around a curve of diameter greater than the minimum diameter towhich said slats can be bent without damage, said first curved portionbringing said slats substantially parallel to said mounting board andspaced therefrom, a second curved portion on said supporting devicecarrying said slats in a 180 degree curve around an end of said mountingboard, whereby the slats are brought back along the top side of themounting board, and means securing the free ends of said slats to saidmounting boards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

